ANEM ALARM: Sanction the individuals who attacked two journalists in front of the SNS office in Subotica.

As reported by Betina's correspondent, men dressed in black prohibited female journalists from photographing the event taking place in front of the SNS premises. One of them crumpled the accreditation that Betina's reporter was wearing around her neck and struck her on the arm, while he attempted to seize her colleague's phone.

Shortly thereafter, as the journalists explained to ANEM, the police arrived, preventing a larger incident and documenting the event.

ANEM reminds that any form of interference with journalists reporting from public gatherings is unacceptable, especially physical attacks and other forms of endangering the safety of representatives in the field.

We remind that it is the police's duty not only to protect female journalists and male journalists performing their work in public spaces but also to identify and sanction attackers in accordance with the law.

"In the past two record years of violence against journalists and media, the number of threats and attacks, particularly against female journalists, photojournalists, and other media workers, is growing daily. We call on editorial offices to equip their female journalists with protective gear, as well as mandatory training for safe reporting. Solidarity among female and male journalists in the field is very significant and often crucial for protection against perpetrators," says Veran Matić, President of the ANEM Board and Coordinator of the Safe Line for reporting threats and attacks on journalists at 0800 100 115.

We also appeal to representatives of the authorities and the ruling SNS party to publicly condemn such cases of attacks on the media to send a clear message to their supporters that such behavior is punishable by law.

ANEM urges journalists and media representatives to regularly report any form of endangerment of their safety while performing their work. A free phone number and direct line for ANEM is also available to all journalists at 0800 100 115, where media representatives can obtain explanations about the legal treatment of the offense and the procedures that need to be initiated to report endangerment of safety to the relevant institutions, police, and prosecution.

Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM)

The project "System for the Prevention of Violence and Protection of Journalists" is implemented by ANEM in partnership with Insajder TV and the Center for the Development of Local Media, with the support of the European Union and the Ministry of Information and Telecommunications of the Republic of Serbia.

The OSCE Mission in Serbia has supported ANEM's project "24/7 SOS Hotline for Assistance to Journalists and Other Vulnerable Media Workers," as part of the EU-funded project "Strengthening Freedom of Expression and Media Freedom in Serbia."